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DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2015.12.047
Literature review of the in vitro and in vivo evidence for homeopathic medicines in the treatment or prevention of malaria
Subject Editor:
Publication History
Publication Date:
27 January 2018 (online)
Background : Malaria is a vector borne infectious disease that affects over 200 million people worldwide every year. Access to treatments on a large-scale is challenging due to the vast geographical and rural spread. Homeopaths have treated infectious disease throughout its 200+ year history however robust data on the efficacy and effectiveness of homeopathic treatments for malaria are lacking.
Objectives : To explore the research that has been conducted regarding the use of homeopathy for malaria.
Methods : A literature search was performed on the following databases: EBSCO,CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Humanities International Complete Medline with Full Text, Social Sciences Abstracts (H.W. Wilson) and Google Scholar. The search terms used were: “malaria and homeopathy” and “plasmodium and homeopathy”. Articles were deemed ‘relevant’ if the article discussed homeopathy in relation to malaria or anti-malarial properties, and/or if they indicated treatment decisions.
Results : Three studies were deemed relevant in this search. Rajan and Bagai studied an in vitro culture, Bagai, Rajan, and Kaur explored an in vivo test and the State Health Resource Centre in Chhattisgarh explored the distribution of a homeopathic intervention to almost 100,000 people.
Conclusions : There is minimal data examining homeopathic treatments in the treatment and prevention of malaria. The few studies have shown some interesting findings and further research is needed to discern details such as an ideal choice of potency and ideal amount of remedy repetition for optimal results in this population.